Method and apparatus for display color fidelity optimization using performance prediction

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method for display color fidelity optimization using performance prediction are provided. A method of the present invention can include obtaining data regarding available display parameters of the display device, obtaining feedback information regarding respective current values of the display parameters of the display device, performing simulations to determine how changes in the display parameters affect a display of the video content on the display, determining a prediction of a performance of the display device based upon the current values of the display parameters, determining an effect of ambient light on at least one of the determined prediction and the display parameters, and optimizing the display parameters in accordance with at least one of the determined prediction and the determined effect of ambient light. In an alternate embodiment, the method can further include recovering one or more original current values of the display parameters subsequent to a change.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to display calibration, and moreparticularly, to an apparatus and method for optimizing displayed colorfidelity using performance prediction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When video content is initially processed in order to represent thecontent in accordance with, for example, a director's or contentcreator's (hereinafter collectively referred to as “content creator”)intent, such content is often calibrated in a dark room withoutconsideration of different ambient light conditions likely to beencountered when the content is reproduced on a subsequent consumer's(hereinafter interchangeably referred to as “user”) display device. Assuch when, content is displayed in a user's home the ambient lightinghas an effect on the color properties and the viewing experience of theuser. In addition, each display system and display technology producesimages differently based on their respective capabilities and thedefault parameter settings.

Displays often provide the user with the capability of adjusting thedisplay parameters, such as hue, tint, brightness, contrast, and soforth. These setting changes are often made to displays in anincremental fashion but there is no logical curve that is employedthroughout a setting change. Color fidelity is usually adjusted byforcing the display into a particular setting regardless of a viewer'spreference for example, due to the initial factory default settings ofthe display device and the lack of logical curve throughout therespective setting changes that can be performed by the user on theirdisplay device. The viewer needs to re-set the display afterwards if theuser desires different settings than the default settings. However,given the lack of a logical curve throughout a setting change, it isquite difficult if not impossible to mimic the content creator's intentwhen viewing video content.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These and other drawbacks and disadvantages of the prior art areaddressed by the present principles, which are directed to an apparatusand method for optimizing displayed color fidelity using performanceprediction.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for optimizing adisplay of video content on a display device includes obtaining dataregarding available display parameters of the display device, obtainingfeedback information regarding respective current values of the displayparameters of the display device, performing simulations to determinehow changes in the display parameters affect a display of the videocontent on the display, determining a prediction of a displayperformance of the display device based upon the respective currentvalues of the display parameters, determining an effect of ambient lighton at least one of the determined prediction and the display parametersand optimizing the display parameters in accordance with at least one ofthe determined prediction and the determined effect of ambient light.Optionally, the method can further include recovering one or moreoriginal current values of the display parameters subsequent to achange.

In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus foroptimizing a display of video content on a display device includes adata retriever for obtaining data regarding available display parametersof the display device, a feedback device for obtaining feedbackinformation regarding respective current values of the displayparameters of the display device, a simulator for performing simulationsto determine how changes in the display parameters affect a display ofthe video content on the display, a predictor for determining aprediction of a display performance of the display device based upon therespective current values of the display parameters, a light interactioncalculator for determining an effect of ambient light on at least one ofthe determined prediction and the display parameters, and an optimizerfor optimizing the display parameters of the display in accordance withat least one of the determined prediction and the determined effect ofambient light. In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, theapparatus can further include a recovery device for one or more originalcurrent values of the display parameters of the display devicesubsequent to a change.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The teachings of the present invention can be readily understood byconsidering the following detailed description in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a high level block diagram of an apparatus for optimizingdisplayed color fidelity using performance prediction in accordance withan embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 depicts a flow diagram of a method for optimizing displayed colorfidelity using performance prediction in accordance with an embodimentof the present invention.

It should be understood that the drawings are for purposes ofillustrating the concepts of the invention and are not necessarily theonly possible configuration for illustrating the invention. Tofacilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used,where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to thefigures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present principles are directed to an apparatus and method foroptimizing displayed color fidelity using performance prediction.Advantageously, one or more embodiments of the present principles caninvolve using feedback from a display device to determine the displaydevice's current settings. Moreover, one or more embodiments of thepresent principles can involve ascertaining and utilizing the respectivecapabilities (e.g., range, and so forth) provided by the display devicewith respect to its settings. The settings can include color gamut,contrast, brightness, and so forth. Further, one or more embodiments ofthe present invention can involve feedback from an environment in whichthe display device is employed in order to correct for differences inthe environment as such differences affect and/or otherwise relate tothe viewing experience intended by a content creator. Even further, oneor more embodiments of the present principles can estimate theperformance at a current setting with the aid of statisticalmethodology.

With respect to environmental feedback, in an embodiment of the presentinvention, a calculation(s) can be made relating to the interactionand/or affect of ambient light with respect to the viewing experience inorder to maximize the display device's capacity for color fidelity.Furthermore, using a sensor including, but not limited to, a low costweb-cam type detector capable of capturing chromatic values, in anembodiment, the playback device is able to predict the effects ofenvironmental interference on the display. By using such calculation andprediction with respect to ambient light, the display device of anembodiment of the present invention can optimize the setting parameterscorresponding to particular video content to be more in accordance withthe intent of the creator of such content. In addition, the predictioncan be based on the user's particular settings, or such settings can bestored, so that the original settings can be easily recoveredafterwards. Such methodologies in accordance with the principles of theembodiments of the present invention described herein can be applied toautomatically adjust for various ambient light levels to maintain, forexample, personal color tone preferences.

The functions of the various elements shown in the figures can beprovided through the use of dedicated hardware as well as hardwarecapable of executing software in association with appropriate software.When provided by a processor, the functions can be provided by a singlededicated processor, by a single shared processor, or by a plurality ofindividual processors, some of which can be shared. Moreover, explicituse of the term “processor” or “controller” should not be construed torefer exclusively to hardware capable of executing software, and canimplicitly include, without limitation, digital signal processor (“DSP”)hardware, read-only memory (“ROM”) for storing software, random accessmemory (“RAM”), and non-volatile storage. Moreover, all statementsherein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the invention,as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass bothstructural and functional equivalents thereof. Additionally, it isintended that such equivalents include both currently known equivalentsas well as equivalents developed in the future (i.e., any elementsdeveloped that perform the same function, regardless of structure).

Thus, for example, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the artthat the block diagrams presented herein represent conceptual views ofillustrative system components and/or circuitry embodying the principlesof the invention. Similarly, it will be appreciated that any flowcharts, flow diagrams, state transition diagrams, pseudocode, and thelike represent various processes which can be substantially representedin computer readable media and so executed by a computer or processor,whether or not such computer or processor is explicitly shown.

FIG. 1 depicts a high level block diagram of an apparatus for optimizingdisplayed color fidelity using performance prediction in accordance withan embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus 100 of FIG. 1illustratively comprises a data retriever 110, a feedback device 120, asimulator 130, a predictor 140, a calculator 150, an optimizer 160, arecovery device 170 and a light capture device 180.

In the system 100 of FIG. 1, the data retriever 110 receives data from adata source (not shown), including, but not limited to a set top box,the Internet and/or other network, a storage device, and so forth. Thatis, the data retriever 110 receives data regarding the capabilities(e.g., color gamut used, range of parameter settings including, but notlimited to, colors, brightness, contrast, hue, saturation, etc., and soforth) of a particular display. Such information can be communicated toand retrieved by the data retriever 110 from, for example, amanufacturer of the subject display, websites including such displayparameters of a subject display, publications, having such informationrelating to display devices and their respective capabilities andalternatively, the information can be communicated along with receivedvideo content. In various embodiments of the present invention, the dataretriever 110 can comprise a set top box connected to the subjectdisplay device and/or a memory device and/or memory device reader forreceiving the data and communicating the data to the simulator 130, withsuch data obtained from a source such as a computer, personal digitalassistance (PDS), cellular telephone, and so forth. That is, the dataretriever 110 communicates the retrieved data to the simulator 130.

The feedback device 120 of the apparatus 100 of FIG. 1 receives andcompiles feedback relating to the current status of the respectiveparameter settings ((i.e., the current values of the individual displaysettings) of the display device. In various embodiments of the presentinvention, the feedback device 120 of FIG. 1 can comprise, for example,cabling and/or other communication means and devices (includingwireless) for providing such information from a display device to theapparatus 100. The feedback device 120 communicates the informationregarding the current display settings of the display to the simulator130.

At the simulator 130, simulations are performed to determine howrespective changes in individual parameter settings affect the ultimateviewing experience (i.e., the displaying of the video content on thedisplay device). However, since the change curve of each respectiveindividual parameter setting is typically not logical and, further,given that most manufacturers are unwilling to divulge such curvesand/or other related information as to how parameter setting changes areparticularly implemented, in various embodiments of the presentinvention, a given curve(s) is differentiated in its entirety and thesegmental curve is approximated into a linear fitting (e.g., using linefitting). The curve that is differentiated is based on the dataretrieved from the data retriever 110 while the linear fitting is basedon the information received from the feedback device 120.

The simulations performed by the simulator 130 are communicated to thepredictor 140. At the predictor 140 a prediction is generated of thedisplay device performance based on the respective status of theindividual parameter settings. The prediction can involve, for example,weighting the various individual parameter settings if individualparameters are linked with each other. In some cases, those parametersare independent and individual weightings are equal to each otherbecause of the absence of a link(s) in one or more parameters. If equalweighting is used for each of the individual parameter settings, then,in one embodiment of the present invention, arithmetic averaging can beutilized to implement such weighting. If disparate weightings are used,then, in alternate embodiments of the present invention, a statisticalmethodology can be utilized to implement such weighting. In the formercase, that is when arithmetic averaging is used, an average can be usedfor weighting. In the latter case, that is, when a statisticalmethodology is used, mean values can be used for weighting. In yetalternate embodiments of the present invention, however, other types ofweighting approaches and/or non-weighting approaches can also be usedfor determining a prediction of the display device performance based onthe respective status of the individual parameter settings of thedisplay.

The prediction information is then communicated to the calculator 150.At the calculator 150 a calculation of an interaction of ambient lightwith respect to the viewing experience (i.e., how the video content isperceived by a user), as represented by the prediction, is determined.That is, a calculation is made at the calculator 150 of the effects ofambient light on the display properties. Such calculation can includeinformation regarding a measurement of ambient light by the lightcapture device 180 which is preferably located in close proximity to atleast one of the subject display, a user of the subject display or aremote control for controlling the subject display. In variousembodiments of the present invention, the light capture device caninclude a low cost web camera and/or light detector and/or light sensor.Because some light capture devices output RGB values, a conversion canbe performed from RGB to XYZ, and so forth, to for example preserveprecision and allow for simple arithmetic operations (e.g., addition,subtraction). In alternate embodiments of the present invention, thelight capture device can be an integrated component of a subjectdisplay.

The calculations made by the calculator 150 can be applied to a displaydevice by the optimizer 160. That is, corrections or optimizationparameters determined by the simulator 130, the predictor 140 and thecalculator 150 can be applied to the display parameters of the displayfor optimizing the display parameters of the display to achieve adesired resultant look (e.g., color values) for content displayed on thedisplay.

Optionally, the recovery device 170 can be used to restore a user'sdisplay settings to values existing before a correction was made to thedisplay in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. Morespecifically, because the prediction made in block 140 was based atleast in part on the actual settings of the display before correction oroptimization, a recovery of the previous display parameters can beachieved by referring to the information used by the predictor 140. Thatis, in one embodiment of the present invention, the predictor 140 canoptionally include a memory (not shown) for storing information receivedfrom the simulator 130 for enabling the recovery of the displayparameters of a display for returning the display parameters to valuesexisting before a correction was made to the display in accordance withembodiments of the present invention.

Although in the embodiment of the present invention depicted withrespect to the apparatus 100 of FIG. 1 it appears as though the variouscomponents are directly connected to each other in the order describedabove and as depicted in FIG. 1, in alternate embodiments of the presentinvention, the interconnection between the various components can beaccomplished via wired and/or wireless means and/or devices, includingbut not limited to, radio frequency, optical transmissions (e.g.,infrared), wires, WIFI, BLUETOOTH, and the like. In addition, althoughin the embodiment of the present invention depicted with respect to theapparatus 100 of FIG. 1 it appears as though the various components areindividual components, in alternate embodiments of the presentinvention, the described devices and components can comprise anycombination of integrated components and the individual and/or combinedcomponents can comprise integrated component(s) of a display device tobe optimized/corrected in accordance with the aspects of the presentinvention.

Furthermore, although the embodiments of the present invention presentedabove describe a generic situation (i.e., without consideration ofparticular input content, in various embodiments of the presentinvention, the analysis of the present invention can also involvesampling and/or otherwise obtaining video information from particularcontent source, which can be considered in operations performed by oneor more of the above described components. That is, the use of videoinformation from the particular input video content enables a displayedversion of the video content to be so displayed more in accordance withthe content creator's intent, versus simply being based on anoptimization that, in turn, is based on the respective capabilities ofthe corresponding display device on which the video content is displayedand/or the environment in which the display device is utilized.

For example, in one embodiment, a process in which the video informationfrom a particular video content source can be processed and/or otherwiseconsidered with respect to the analysis of the present invention is thatthe data regarding the display capabilities and current display settingscollected as described above can be constrained with respect to itsevaluation and subsequent use in accordance with the values and/or rangeof values implicated by the video information from the particular videocontent. Of course, the present principles are not limited to thepreceding uses of such data and, thus, other uses can also beimplemented for such data, while maintaining the spirit of the presentprinciples.

FIG. 2 depicts a flow diagram 200 of a method for optimizing displayedcolor fidelity using performance prediction in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention. The method 200 of FIG. 2 begins atstep 210 at which data for the parameter settings and ranges (e.g.,display parameters) of a display are obtained, in order to determine agiven display device's capabilities (e.g., color gamut used, range ofdisplay settings including, but not limited to, colors, brightness,contrast, hue, saturation, etc). As previously describe, the retrievalof such information can include obtaining such information from themanufacturer and/or another source(s) such as websites, publications,and the like, relating to display devices and their respectivecapabilities. The method 200 then proceeds to step 220.

At step 220, feedback relating to the respective status of theindividual parameter settings of a display is obtained from the displaydevice (i.e., the current values of the individual display settings onthe display device). The method 200 then proceeds to step 230.

At step 230, individual simulations are performed, as described above,to determine how respective changes in individual parameter settingsaffect the ultimate viewing experience, for example, the displaying ofvideo content on the display device. The method then proceeds to step240.

At step 240, a prediction is determined of the display deviceperformance based on the respective status of the individual parametersettings as described above. The method 200 then proceeds to step 250.

At step 250, a calculation of an interaction of ambient light withrespect to the viewing experience (i.e., how the video content isperceived by a user), as represented by the prediction, is determined asdescribed above. The method 200 then proceeds to step 260.

At step 260, an optimization is applied to the display device based onat least one of the prediction determined in step 240 and thecalculation of the interaction of ambient light determined in step 250.The method 200 can then be exited or can optionally proceed to step 270.

At step 270, a recovery of the user's setting(s) is performed asdescribed above.

Having described preferred embodiments for an apparatus and method foroptimizing displayed color fidelity using performance prediction (whichare intended to be illustrative and not limiting), it is noted thatmodifications and variations can be made by persons skilled in the artin light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood thatchanges can be made in the particular embodiments of the inventiondisclosed which are within the scope and spirit of the invention asoutlined by the appended claims. While the forgoing is directed tovarious embodiments of the present invention, other and furtherembodiments of the invention can be devised without departing from thebasic scope thereof.

1. A method for optimizing a display of video content on a displaydevice, comprising: obtaining data regarding available displayparameters of the display device; obtaining feedback informationregarding respective current values of the display parameters of thedisplay device; performing simulations to determine how changes in thedisplay parameters affect a display of the video content on the display;determining a prediction of a display performance of the display devicebased upon the respective current values of the display parameters;determining an effect of ambient light on at least one of the determinedprediction and the display parameters; and optimizing the displayparameters in accordance with at least one of the determined predictionand the determined effect of ambient light.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein the data is at least partially representative of a range of thedisplay parameters.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data isobtained from at least one of a display device manufacturer and a sourceof display device specifications.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein thedata is obtained from the video content.
 5. The method of claim 1,wherein the simulations involve differentiating one or more curves andapproximating segmental portions of the one or more curves into a linearfitting, the one or more curves corresponding to the data, and thelinear fitting involving applying the respective current values tocorresponding ones of the segmental portions of the one or more curves.6. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of determining a predictioncomprises applying weighting to one or more of the respective currentvalues.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein a same weighting factor isused for at least two of the respective current values.
 8. The method ofclaim 6, wherein disparate weighting factors are used for at least twoof the respective current values.
 9. The method of claim 6, wherein theweighting includes arithmetic averaging.
 10. The method of claim 6,wherein the weighting includes a statistical methodology.
 11. The methodof claim 1, wherein a measurement of ambient light is determined by alight capture device located in proximity to at least one of a thedisplay device, a user of the display device, and a remote control forcontrolling the display device.
 12. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising recovering one or more original current values of the displayparameters of the display device subsequent to a change.
 13. Anapparatus for optimizing a display of video content on a display device,comprising: a data retriever for obtaining data regarding availabledisplay parameters of the display device; a feedback device forobtaining feedback information regarding respective current values ofthe display parameters of the display device; a simulator for performingsimulations to determine how changes in the display parameters affect adisplay of the video content on the display; a predictor for determininga prediction of a display performance of the display device based uponthe respective current values of the display parameters; a lightinteraction calculator for determining an effect of ambient light on atleast one of the determined prediction and the display parameters; andan optimizer for optimizing the display parameters of the display inaccordance with at least one of the determined prediction and thedetermined effect of ambient light.
 14. The apparatus of claim 13,wherein the data is at least partially representative of a range of thedisplay parameters of the display.
 15. The apparatus of claim 13,wherein the data is obtained by the data retriever from at least one ofa display device manufacturer and a source of display devicespecifications.
 16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the data isobtained by the data retriever from the video content.
 17. The apparatusof claim 13, wherein the simulations performed by the simulator involvedifferentiating one or more curves and approximating segmental portionsof the one or more curves into a linear fitting, the one or more curvescorresponding to the data, and the linear fitting involving applying therespective current values to corresponding ones of the segmentalportions of the one or more curves.
 18. The apparatus of claim 13,wherein the predictor applies weighting to one or more of the respectivecurrent values in determining the prediction.
 19. The apparatus of claim18, wherein a same weighting factor is applied by the predictor to atleast two of the respective current values.
 20. The apparatus of claim18, wherein the predictor applies disparate weighting factors to atleast two of the respective current values.
 21. The apparatus of claim18, wherein the weighting includes arithmetic averaging.
 22. Theapparatus of claim 18, wherein the weighting includes a statisticalmethodology.
 23. The apparatus of claim 13, further including a lightcapture device for providing a measurement of ambient light, said lightcapture device located in proximity to at least one of a the displaydevice, a user of the display device, and a remote control forcontrolling the display device.
 24. The apparatus of claim 13, furthercomprising a recovery device for one or more original current values ofthe display parameters of the display device subsequent to a change.